Love and Basketball
by Nafisa
Summary: Moving into a new neighbourhood Flora meets a boy by the name of Helia who shares the same passion for basketball as her. As the years go by the two grew close their passion for basketball continued to grow along with their feelings for each other and when the time comes they will have to choose between love and basketball.
1. New Neighbours

An upper middle-class neighborhood, known as the Mini Beverly Hills. Big houses, green grass and Caddies in every other driveway. The street is quiet, until -

On the driveway of his house stood a young boy, about seven with raven long hair, blue eyes and fair complexion. He had on a blue colour basketball shorts with match colour sleeveless shirt and was called Helia.

"So Timmy, you want to play me now?" He asked a boy his age with orange coloured hair and red glasses. He had the same basketball clothes as Helia but in orange.

"Hey, look, Helia." Timmy pointed out.

Helia follows Timmy's eyes, to a beat-up pair of Converse All-Stars approaching from next door. Walking in the kicks is a young child in a T-shirt and Tuff-skins, and a LAKERS cap pulled low. A moving van is parked in the driveway.

"See the new neighbors finally came." Helia spoke.

"Thought it was a girl moving in." Timmy commented.

"That's what my Moms said." Helia replied.

"I hope he can ball." The orange hair male stated.

"Bet he's a scrub."

The kid stopped at the edge of Helia's driveway."Hey."

"Hey." Helia responded.

"Can I play?" The child asked.

"You good?"

"Yeah, I'm nice."

Helia looked at the kid up and down, then spoke. "You and I can play one on one. Timmy, you can sit out."

He then tossed the kid the ball. The child then pulled off the baseball cap. Long brown hair tumbled down, framing a soft brown face and bright green eyes. She is Flora, seven years old.

"Ah man, he is a girl." Timmy gasped.

"Girls can't play no ball." Helia commented.

"Ball better than you." Flora replied.

Helia laughed derisively as Flora walked to the top of the driveway.

"What a dog." Helia whispered.

Flora shot him a glare.

"She heard you." Timmy whispered back.

"Nuh uh, they could only hear dog whistles."

Flora took the ball and started to dribble. She threw up a shot. It's an airball. Timmy and Helia cracked up.

Helia grabbed the rebound and shot.

He rolled the ball to Flora and she started dribbling and again. Running she made her way to the basket. Helia tried to block her only for Flora to dodge him and threw the ball into the basket.

The boys look at her in shock. Flora tossed the ball back to Helia.

"One, up." She smiled.

"Lucky." Helia began dribbling the ball.

Flora easily manage to take the ball from him and shot again.

"Two to one. Still think I was lucky?" She asked.

Helia can't believe it. Timmy cracked up.

The game continued, with Helia and Flora trading baskets. The score hit nine, nine.

Dribbling the ball, Flora said. "Told you I was nice. I'm going to be the first girl in the NBA."

"I am going to be in the NBA. You're going to be my cheerleader." Helia told her.

Managing to avoid Helia, Flora threw the ball and Helia knew he was beat. In desperation, he pushed her and the brunette fell to the ground.

Flora landed flat on the ground and a rock starched her skin so deep that blood started coming from her chin.

The boys stand frozen. Helia stared down at her, his eyes wide with fear...and regret.

* * *

Inside Flora's house, she stood in the pink painted bathroom,cleaning off the blood.

"How are you feeling, munchkin?" A male with short brown hair and blue eyes. He had on black and white work suit.

"Fine Daddy." Flora informed him.

"She needs to stop running around like a little boy." Her mother appeared. She had on pink flora dress.

"She's alright." Her father said.

"How is she alright looking the way she does?" The older female hissed.

"Darling leave Flora alone, she'll be fine." He gives Flora a wink, crossed away.

"I'll get some ice." Her mother left.

Flora pulled the washcloth from her face and stared into the mirror. Torn skin surrounded a small deep gash in her cheek.

Seeing her latest battle scar, there's only one thing left for this little girl to do. She smiled.

* * *

**INSIDE Helia's HOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY**

Helia sat at the kitchen table, writing "I AM SORRY" in block letters across a homemade card. His face is tight with concentration as he tries to write in a straight line.

At the counter, his mom, moved a cake from its store box to a cake dish. She is 30, beautiful with her long waist length blue hair and purple eyes. Her complexion was fair and had on a tightly fit purple strapless mini dress with a black mini jacket. She smooth the frosting with a spoon.

His father, 32, with the height and ego of an NBA ballplayer, entered the room wearing black jeans with a dark coloured shirt. He had a darker complexion than his wife and son with low cut black hair and blue eyes.

He laughed.

"Girl, who you trying to fool?" He asked.

Helia looked up and smiled.

"The new neighbours." She pointed Helia back to his card.

"See, Helia, this is how your moms caught me, with the old fake and bake. Had me thinking I was getting a sister who could bake." His father told him.

The mother laughed, pulled him down for a kiss. "We should head over."

"Just you and Helia, baby. I got a meeting." He said.

"With who?"

"Business folks."

"You just got back from a four game road trip."

"Later, Dad." Helia waved to him.

"Bye son." The elder male exit. Wisdom, his mother leaned against the counter, concerned.

"Mom?" Helia asked.

"What?"

"We still have to go?"

"Yeah." She nodded.

* * *

**INSIDE FLORA'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY**

Jasmine, Flora's mother and Wisdom stand among the piles of boxes. Flora and Helia stood at their mothers' sides, stealing glances at each other. A large bandage covers Flora's cheek.

Flora held her card while Jasmine held the cake.

"...we moved back here when Helia was about two, after Zeke was was a little more mixed back then..." Wisdom said.

"Okay?" Jasmine tried to smooth down Flora's unruly hair. She moved her head. "Well, thanks was really nice of you."

"It was the least we could do. And I love to cook."

Helia looked up at his Mom, surprised. She quickly hugged his face into her stomach.

Jasmine lighted up."Oh, me too. I used to cook for my friends' parties and things back in Atlanta."

"You're a caterer?" Wisdom looked surprised.

"Well, no, but once we get settled and the Flora get a little older, it's definitely something I want to do and since you love to cook, maybe it's something we can talk about."

Helia snickered. His mother quickly changed the subject.

"You know, girl, long as I've lived next door, I've never seen the inside of this house."

"Really? Well, come on, then."Jasmine handed Flora the cake. "Honey, put this in the kitchen."

"Help her, Helia."

The mother head down the hall, leaving Flora and Helia alone. The two just stand there.

Helia reached out, scoops a finger of frosting, and pops it in his mouth. Beat, then Flora takes a bigger scoop.

"So...does it hurt?" He asked.

"It's this big hole. You could almost see bone." She replied.

"For real?"

"Uh huh."

Helia is impressed. "So how come you can play basketball?"

With that the two began talking for a long time.


	2. First Kiss

**INT. FLORA'S HOUSE - HER ROOM - NIGHT**

Flora sat between her mother's legs, grimacing, as she worked a comb through her freshly washed, kinky hair. Flora's head flopped like a rag doll. Her eyes are wet.

"Ow!" Flora yelled.

Her mother kept tugging.

The brunette punched her in the leg.

"Ow!"She yanked Flora's head back as her father entered, carrying apink and green floral dress on a hanger. Flora saw it and her face fell.

"Ah, dad."

"I'm lucky I found it." Her mother said. "Someone put yourbox of dresses under a pile of rags inthe garbage."

Flora sulked. Her mother had to laugh. "Oh mother."

"Child, pick up your lip."

"I hate wearing dresses." Flora pouted/

"Fine, you don't like this one, which one would you rather wear?" The elder female asked.

"Pants."

Jasmine rubbed her temples as her husband hung the dress on the door.

"That is not a choice. When I am done make sure you brush your teeth?" Jasmine stated.

"Don't be so harsh, sweetie." Her husband said. "If she doesn't want to wear the dress then she doesn't want to wear it."

"Don't care."

He left the room to avoid a fight.

She continued. "The boy next door is riding with you to school so you'll know somebody your first day."

Flora reacted, surprised. "Make it look nice, kay."

* * *

**INT. HELIA's HOUSE - HIS ROOM - NIGHT**

Basketball posters, "Clippers" and USC memorabilia and a basketball globe light.

Helia laid tucked in bed, eyes wide open, listening to his parents MAKING LOVE. The sounds bring a smile to his face. It was better to hear that than them arguing.

He climbed out of bed, wearing blue underpants. He moved to his window, sees Flora through her window directly across from his. Her eyes are closed as Jasmine combed out her hair.

Helia kneeled down, rests his arms on the window sill, and watched. He had took a liking to the young brunette and wondered if she felt the same way about him.

* * *

**THE NEXT DAY**

Helia sat atop his BMX bike in front of Flora's house. A basketball is tucked under his arm. He had on blue jeans with a matching coloured shirt.

Flora emerged from the house, walking her banana-seater bicycle. She looked cute in her pink and green dress and hair tied up with a green ribbon. A basketball sat in her back basket.

Helia is taken aback and stared at her in awe.

"You wanna be my girl?"

Flora looked at him in surprise. She thought about it for a moment. "What do I have to do?"

"I guess, you know, we play ball and ride to school together. And if you get mad at me, I guess I gotta give you flowers also." He replied.

"I don't like flowers." She pointed out.

"Oh. So what do you like?" He questioned.

"How about Twinkies? My mom never wants to buy them for me." She stated.

"Alright." He smiled.

"Okay." Flora returned it.

An awkward beat between the new couple. Finally…

"I think we should kiss now, right?" He seemed unsure.

"How long?" She asked.

"How about five seconds." Helia suggested.

The two glance around, then climb off their bikes and walked to the secluded area between their two houses.

"Ready?" He continued.

Flora nodded. They lean in, eyes wide open, and touch lips. Helia counted to five with his fingers. They pull away, embarrassed, and walk back to the driveway.

Flora lifted her bike from the ground and climbed on it. "We are going to be late for school."

"Wait." Helia called out. "Since you're my girl now you got to ride my bike."

"I have two legs. I want to ride my own bike."

"My Dad always drives my Mom."

"So?" She was becoming angry.

"So that means you have to ride with me." He was become angry also.

Flora does not move. "You can't be serious?"

"Come on."

"I don't have to do what you say." Flora was a very strong minded person.

"Man, forget you then, stupid." He yelled.

"You are stupid and your Daddy plays for the worst team in the NBA."

Helia's face instantly becomes red. "What?"

"Last time they won, the dinosaurs were roaming the earth." She laughed.

"Shut up!" He then shoved her, knocking her off her bike.

"You jerk!" She kicked him on the knee. Helia hissed in pain.

"I don't want to be your boyfriend, you ugly dog!"

Flora then leaped up, her dress now dirty. She shoved him back.

"I don't want to be your girlfriend, bighead!"

They grappled then fall to the ground swinging...


End file.
